There
is a 6.5 million year gap in the human fossil record, during which
time, we evolved many of our human characteristics, such as upright
gait and a large brain. How did this occur?

A British biologist, Sir Allister Hardy, noted this gap [between
our swamp dwelling Bonobo chimpanzee-like forebearers, and the
next fossils of Homo erectus] and our evident adaptations
to water, and suggested part of our evolution occured in a watery
environment.

Elaine Morgan, in her books The Ascent of Woman ( a pun on Darwin's
The Descent of Man) and The Aquatic Ape, notes that humans have
little hair, like other marine mammals, like the Cetacea, (dolphins
and whales), walruses, manatees, dugongs, and even elephants (who
have been seen swimming some 25 miles at sea crossing between
islands).

We have noses that trap air and allow us to swim and dive, subcutaneous
fat, salt tears and other characteristics of marine animals --
including a large brain. The largest brains belong to the Cetacea.
There is also the fact that we are among the few primates that
swim at all!

Until recently, all this was mostly speculation. Now we know that
in addition to the above features, we must have enough eicosanoic
acid (a 20 carbon oil) for proper brain and body development.
While 2% of the population can make enough of this oil, 98%of
us MUST have it supplied by the diet. The ONLY source of this
oil is fish and seafood. People in the Faroe Islands that eat
a lot of fish have the heathiest babies --

Dr. Michel Odent has demonstrated that the omega 3 and omega 6
and eicosanoic oils are especially required during fetal developement.
These oils are so crucial that the fetus will take what it needs
from the mother -- sometimes leading to a formerly puzzling disease
of pregnant mothers called pre-eclampsia.

Pioneers like Dr. Michel Odent, M.D., Igor Tcharkofsky, Gowri
Motha, M.D., and Estelle Meyers have shown us that babies can
be born underwater. Many women now choose this gentle and easier
delivery method for their babies, and find it joyful. Both mother
and baby are happy and smiling during the birth. And the babies
born in water and raised in it and around it develop 6 months
faster over their first two years and have about 150 grams more
brain weight.

It is my hunch that along with our aquatic nature, we have also
been close to the dolphins for centuries. They still feed tribes
in Africa, along the Amazon and in Australia -- by chasing fish
into the nets. They have guided our ships, rescued people from
drowning and generally been a loving companion to humans throughout
history. I feel we are co-species -- that we have lived together
and helped each other for a long time.

Now, the dolphins are showing us that they can even assist in
underwater births. And with their high power, high frequency sounds,
and their friendship and love, they have helped restore wellbeing
in cases of autism, cerebral palsy, Down's syndrome, head, neck
and joint troubles and other conditions as well.

So now we know many missing links in our evolution. We are aquatic
creatures, and the dolphins have often been our companions in
the sea. This new knowledge of our origins will lead to greater
appreciation for our water connections, the value of gentle water
birth, and a new point of view on our companions, the dolphins
and whales -- marine mammals like ourselves....